TV adventurer drops by in search of Maritime Mystery

Volunteer Ted Goddard took Mr. Palin for a guided tour of Wales’ only Royal Dockyard.

Worldwide adventurer Michael Palin has returned to Pembrokeshire for the first time in over 40 years – in search of maritime history and the remarkable and tragic story of a Pembroke Dock-built warship.

On Wednesday April 26th Michael visited the Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre and met up with naval historian and Centre Volunteer Ted Goddard to recall the story of HMS Erebus which was launched at Pembroke Dockyard in 1826.

Michael is writing a book on HMS Erebus which, along with HMS Terror, took part in the ill-fated Franklin Expedition of the 1840s in the Canadian Arctic. Tragically, both vessels and their crews were lost and in recent years headlines have been made with the discovery of the very well preserved vessels in Arctic waters.

Erebus is the last remaining of the 260 warships built at Pembroke Dockyard between 1814 and 1922.

With Ted Goddard as guide Michael was shown displays at the Heritage Centre relating to HMS Erebus and also walked around areas of the Royal Dockyard which still remain nearly 200 years on. The Irish Ferries terminal, now part of the Port of Pembroke, covers the area where Erebus was constructed.